Conversion & Consent
What the Spirit does is one matter.
What we do on behalf of the Spirit is another.
I am so grateful for the faithful presence and word shared by Joni Christian this past Sunday, and for the warm hospitality in which she was received. There is grace in the practice of loving our enemies by “taking cookies to them” and there is grace in the presence of community that wrestles with the nuance and application of the command/invitation in our particular contexts. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
In this Sunday’s worship. we will return to the Acts of the Apostles to hear of Paul’s experience in Athens. Within this account, Paul moves between judgment of the people and a generous spirit towards them. Likewise, he is regarded by the community equally as a “pretentious babbler” and as sincere and worth listening to. Some hear and convert. Some hear and do not.
The Acts of the Apostles is a work of the beginnings of the church, which features the expansion of the community - from 12 to 3,000 and upward. The book features account after account of preaching and relationship that lead to myriad new followers: Peter preaches and 3,000 convert. Philip engages with the Ethiopian Eunuch and they convert. Paul preaches in Athens and so on.
This follows naturally from the gospel accounts of Christ’s parting words and commissioning of the disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28) and “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mark 16). But it is striking now to read of this in light of the world’s religious diversity and the divine command to neighborliness.
We remember from our past that the great commissioning has been elevated to compel Christians to evangelize and to do their very best to convert others, as though the divine will is for everyone to be Christian. This has led to everything from a sincere gratitude and conversion, to coercion and demands of assimilation that have dismantled cultural heritage of others, to imperial decrees to convert or kill.
The Church is still learning what it means to be Christian in relationship and in partnership with members of other religions. We are still learning/remembering what it might mean to create and live within a house of prayer “for all nations.”
And so we approach this text and texts like it understanding that good news is meant to be shared, and understanding that perhaps our gospel is not the only source of God’s good news on earth. We continue in the Acts of the Apostles to hear yet another story of conversion and hold this in recognition both that there are many within our world who are hungering for meaning, and there are many within our world who already possess a tradition and inheritance of meaning, belonging, and purpose that is different from Christianity, yet inherently good and equally worthy.
Conversion stories in a diverse and pluralistic world. That’s what the Church is leaning into now. Let’s listen for the wisdom and grace within the scripture and within our community. See you Sunday.
Peace,
Rev. Chris McCreight
In Our Church and Community:
An opportunity within the week to be still and breathe.
Hiram Arts Open Studio this Saturday, May 2nd from 1-3pm
Register for tickets by clicking on the link over the image.
Hiram Community Trust applications are due May 8th.
Contact Rev. Chris if you’d like to receive an application, workshop ideas, or review a grant proposal.